Improvement in automatic egg-boilers



3 Sheets-Sheet 1.

0. SMITH.

AUTOMATIC EGG BOILER.

I Patented July 10 Jzyi.

3 Sheets$heet 2 0. SMITH.

AUTOMATIC EGG- BOILER.

Pat ented J'u1y10,1877

Wilnewwew;

3 Sheets-Sheet 3.

0. SMITH. AUTOMATIC EGG-BOILER.

Pategte'd .ful 10, 1877.

UNITED STATES PATEN OFFIC oBEnnIE SMITH, or" BBI'DGETON, NEW JERSEY.

IMPROVEMENT m AUTOMATIEGG-BOILERS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. $2,946. dated July 10, 1877; application filed December 20, 1876.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, OBEBLIN SMrrH, of Bridgeton, in the county of Cumberland and State of New Jersey, have invented a newand useful Automatic Egg-Boiler; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and-to the letters of reference marked thereon.

This invention is primarily designed for boiling eggs; but it may be used for other pur poses for which it is adapted.

It consists, mainly, in the employment, in connection witha proper vvessel, of certain -power mechanism for raising the eggs out of the water at the proper time, and certain timthe vessel partially broken away to show the interior, the cylinder and egg-frame being'depressed to expose the eggs to the boiling action. Fig. 2 represents a central sectional elevation of the same, the float being represented in its raised position. Fig. 3 represents a similar view, .with the cylinder and egg-frame elevated-to remove the eggs from the boiling action; Fig. 4, a cross-section on the line a: c, Fig. 2; Fig. 5, a partial sectional elevation of the cylinder and float; Figs. 6, 7, 8, and 9, various views of the holding-catch and mechanism for locking and unlocking the same; Fig. 10, a central sectional elevation of the float in .its depressed position; Figs. 11,

-12, 13, and 14, various views of the float-valve and its seat.

To enableothers skilled in the art to make and use my invention, I will now proceed to describe fully its construction and manner 0 operation.

A represents a vessel of any proper construction and suitable size. or represents a central tubular standard rising them the bottomof the vessel, which is provided with the longitudinal slot a, Figs. 3 and 4, and the proiecting shoulder or catch a, Fig. 1, as "shown.

B represents a cylinder adapted to slide freely in a vertical direction on the central standard a, which is provided with a perforated ring. b, adapted to hold the eggs, and an internal shoulder, 1), Figs. 3 and 5, adapted to furnish a bearing for the upper end of the liftingspring, hereinafter referred to. b b, Fig. 1, represent brackets ofany proper construction, located about the upper edge of the cylinder; and If, a removable cover, which, when in place, is supported by these brackets. 0 :rep-

-resents a lifting-spring surroundingthe tubular standard a, which is adapted, when free to act, to bear upon cylinder B, carrying the egg-frame. D represents a spring-plate rigidly lixed at its lower end to cylinder B, which '18 provided with a projecting catch-piece, d,

Fig.3 and. a right-angled arm, at, having a handle, a, as shown. d represents a trip-lever, pivoted to one side of the catch at, as shown, which is provided with a cam-face, d, adapted, when-in the proper position, to press the catch (1 to one side, as will be hereinafter described. E represents a float, consisting of a hollow vessel, 0, having a hollow stem, 0, annular flange c and indicating-plate a, provided with proper division-marks, as shown. a c, Fig. 12, represent holes formed in the bottom of the float near the center, and e a single hole located at some distance from. the center, asshown. 0, Figs. 11, 13, and 14, represents'a valve adapted to bear against the seat formed in the bottom of the float, which is attached to the. lower end of the valve-rod c", having index-hand c, and is held to its seat by the action of spring c, interposed between plate. c and theJindex-hand e, as shown. When this valve is in place it will'be observed that thecentral holes e, Figs; 10, 13, 14, are entirely covered by its corresponding portion,

which fits snugly to its seat. The opening 0,

however, located upon one side of the center, is not entirely covered,ia certain area being leftexposed,for purposes hereinafterexplained.

Theperiphery of the valve being out in spiral form, as shown'in Figs. 11, 13, and 14, .it may be adjusted by revolving the same to uncover more or less fully the opening, according to the circumstances of the case,'the amount of adjustment being shown by the position of the index-finger relative to the marked plate below it. 0",1'Figs. 5*a'nd 9, 'represeutsastop-2 bar proj'ecting into the .central space of thecylinder, by means of which the vertical movement of the float is limited in each direction,

and the same is held against accidental displacement. "F represents a-stop-ring secured to the upper end ofthe tubular standard a, by means of which the accidental displacement of the cylinder is prevented. Grepresents a been set upon the stove, the cylinder B is pushed downward by meansof the handle until'itscatchrpiece is caught by the-shoulder on--the tubular'standard, as shown in Figs. 1 and -7. This catch-piece is caused to: engage with the shoulder by the-pressure exerted in. forcing-the cylinder,- downward, thispressure, owing to the position of the handle-upon-the right-angled arm, causing-thespring-plate tov bend toward that side of the slot-ofthe jtubulam-standard upon which the c'atch-is' located.

If, however,1the catch-piece is not held in this position, it will be withdrawn, when the handle is released, by the reaction of the spring.

hen, however, the cylinder is depressed, 'the float will be necessarily: raised by contact with the water, as: shown in Fig. 2, and hence,

. also, the trip-lever projecting into the line of its movement. The latter being raised,--its cam surfaee is caused: to bear against the; side of'the catch-piece, and lock it against moveby the leakage of water through, theopeniug einto'the float, by means-of which the buoy-- ancyof the latter is lost, and it consequently is caused to sink to. the bottom of the vessel, as: shown in 'Fig. 10.

In. consequence of its down ward movement its flange e is brought in contact with the 'trip-lever d, and the.,-latter being depressed,

the'catch-piece is necessarily/released, and

the cylinder-- consequently raised bythe ac.-

tioir of the lifting sprin-g.

' The lengt-li of time. that the-eggs will re,

main in the water will depend, necessarily, upon the time required toiovercome the buoyarmy of the float by the leakage of water into it, and this will-depend,i'of course, upon; the

size-of the; opening It follows, them. that f by: properly revolv-ing the valvethis: opening a may be uncovered to a greater or less extion shown.

tent, and the time of'cooking be lengthened ordiminished, as. may be desired, the. div-ision-plate, of course, if properly marked, indicating the proper position of the index-finger of the valve, to obtain any desired time.

By means of theupward movement of the with the stop-spring, and pushed downward against the aotio'nof its-spring, as shown in Fig. 3. In consequence of this action the openings being thus. uncovered, the contents of the float will be discharged into the vessel,

the boiler thus being prepared for use again when needed.

Some of the advantages of the-described invention are as follows:

The cooking of eggs and other articles which require exposure to heat for exact periods of time may he certainly accomplished without reliance upon the judgment or attention of the cook.

the mechanismfor looking the catch. which holds the cylinder the apparatus is inoperative unless the-vessel contains-a proper quantity of water.

7" By the employment, also, of a float and connections, constructed-es described, thisapparatusfwill be inoperative iffromany cau'se'the. "float, should not. wholly empty itself,.no tice thus being given by its failure to-operatethat. attention is required.

If, it were otherwise, and the float'should act when partlyfilled,- no.reliance, of'course,could be. placed upon thetimeasa lesssperiod would be required. to. wholly fill a float alreadypartially filled than one. entirely empty.

. -I donotlimit myself, to-the precise. construe.- It' desired, a counterbalanceweightmay be employedinstead of the lifting- -spring. The stop.- or check spring may be dispensed with. Other locking mechanism for, holding down the cylinder may be employed.

In place of theperforated frame for holding unbroken eggs,.a series of pans, maybe emshells.

If desired, also, thecylinder or the egg-frame may be-made-removable,so'that when thecooking is completed it may be, placed upon the j table without disturbing the eggs. i If'desired, allso,"al'r auxiliary attachment Elna-y be applied to'the boiler forthe purpose g'of cracking the shellsof the eggs as they are ghrought' into contact with it by the lifting ipower. I I

If desired, also,,a bellor sound-signal of :1 any kind may be applied thereto. g If desired, also, other lifting mechanism may be. employed or other timing mechanism shallaet, such as regular clock-work.- or a, sandeln Having thus fully described-my invention,

what-1. claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

'cy'linde'r the valve-rod is brought into contact valve is forced ofl' from its seat, and all the By the employment of afloat for actuating,

ployed forholding eggs removed i'ro'm itheir I {for determining'when the, lifting'mQham"'Sm'- 1. A cooking vessel having the following combination of elements: mechanism, substantially as described, for lifting the cooking articles away from the action of heat, and timing mechanism, substantially as described, for

determining the interval of time before the lifting mechanism shall act.

2. In combination with lifting and timing mechanism, substantially as described, stop mechanism, substantially as described, for arresting the movement of the lifting mechanism.

3. In combination with catch mechanism, substantially as described, for holding down the cylinder against the action of the lifting mechanism, a float, substantially as described, adapted to lock the catch mechanism, as and for the purpose set forth.

4. In combination with the lifting mechanism and the catch mechanism for holding down the cylinder, float mechanism, substantially as described, adapted for the double purpose of locking and unlocking the catch mechanism.

5. In combination with the. catch mechanism, a float having a leakage-opening, as described.

6. In combination with the float having the opening a, the valve having the spirally-cut periphery, as described.

7. In combination with a float having a leak-.

age-opening, adjusting mechanism, substancentral openings, the valve, valverodl, and. opening, andthe stop-pieces for starting the valve from its seat, substantially as described.

10. In combination with the float having the opening 0 the valve, valve-rod, and indexfinger, and the marked division-plate.

1 1. In combination with the spring-plate, the trip-lever and float mechanism for actuating it, substantially as described.

12. A cooking-vessel, substantially as described, adapted to expose articles to the action of heat for a predetermined period of time, and then automatically remove them from the action of the heat, as and for the purpose set forth. a

This specification signed and witnessed this 28th day of November, 1876.

OBERLIN SMITH. 

